Honda Begins Selling Civic Hybrids in Mexico

30 January 2006

Mercosur. Honda launched consumer sales of its Civic Hybrid in the Mexican market; Mexico is the first Latin American country in which hybrids are offered to consumers. Last week the company entered into an agreement with the Mexican government for the testing of 500 Civic hybrids. (Earlier post.)

Honda Mexico’s head of product planning, Ricardo Chan, is confident the company will meet its modest sales goal of 450 vehicles this year. The hybrids are priced at US$26,415.

“It’s a conservative figure from a certain point of view, but we’re taking into account that this is a completely new, virgin, market”, said Chan who added that Honda’s choice of Mexico as the first market for these vehicles in Latin America was because of the severe air pollution in Mexico City and other big urban areas of the country.

Auto sales in Mexico in 2005 grew 3.3% to an annual record of 1.13 million vehicles, according to figures from the Mexican Automotive Industry Association. Honda was sixth in the Mexican market last year in terms of sales, trailing Volkswagen, Nissan and US automakers Ford, General Motors and Chrysler.